3
$$
Gaijin
950 W. Lake St., Chicago 60607 Route Planner
Japanese,Okonomiyaki

Additional information

  • Japanese
  • Okonomiyaki
  • Air conditioning
  • Wheelchair access
  • Counter dining
  • Outside dining available
  • Amex
  • Mastercard
  • Visa

Useful information

Description

Gaijin is Paul Virant's love letter to okonomiyaki. Okonomi in Japanese means "what you like” and accordingly guests here are encouraged to choose their own course. Thanks to his time in Japan, the chef displays ace skills and experience. Osaka and Hiroshima are the main styles on his menu, which also flaunts a custom brew from Moody Tongue. While Tuesdays bring a tonkatsu feast, steamed rice with furikake, miso soup, and tsukemono are eternal hits. Desserts, like shirokuma with pineapple-buttermilk sherbet and coconut syrup, are worth the splurge.
The room resembles a veritable izakaya, with an okonomiyaki griddle dominating the space—and conversation. Brass accents, exposed brick, and concrete floors add a dash of rusticity to this otherwise premium den.

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Where to eatnearby

Where to sleepnearby

  • From US$112
    The Emily Hotel
    Very good 8.4
    154 m - 311 North Morgan Street, Chicago IL 60607
  • From US$167
    Nobu Hotel Chicago
    MICHELIN Guide Suberb 9
    219 m - 155 North Peoria Street, Chicago IL 60607
  • From US$67
    The Hoxton, Chicago
    MICHELIN Guide Very good 8.4
    235 m - 200 North Green Street, Chicago IL 60607

Things to see and donearby